Daily Search Forum Recap: March 27, 2025

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google Search made a small update to its spam policies that shows what Google considers spam. Google Business Profile support and appeal requests are still delayed but Google seems to be working through it. Google Search event results gain some features. Google Search has a link to "about this data" in the footer, I suspect it is a bug. Google is testing blue website buttons for some knowledge panels.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google March 2025 Core Update Finished Rolling Out
  Google's March 20025 core update is now done rolling out, it took 14 days, starting on March 13, 2025 at around 12:23 pm ET and ending on March 27, 2025 at around XX ET. Google posted saying, "The rollout was complete as of March XX, 2025."
• Google Goes After Spam Practices vs Spam Content - Doc Change
  Google made a really small change to its spam policies documentation to say, "In the context of Google Search, spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate our Search systems into ranking content highly."
• Google Working Through Google Business Profiles Support Requests
  Google seems to be working through the Google Business Profile support, reinstatement, and suspension appeal requests. As we reported twice already, once back in mid-February and then again earlier this week, Google confirmed the delay.
• Google Search About This Data Hyperlink
  Google is sometimes showing a hyperlink at the bottom of its search results named "About this data." This links to a Google help document in Merchant Center support named "How Google sources and uses information in the brand profile."
• Google Event Search Results With Share, Add To Calendar, Similar Events, Venue & Nearby
  Google added a number of new features to the event rich results search feature within Google Search. Some of these might not be new, but now on these event results you can share the event, add it to your calendar, see similar events, get more details on the venue and find nearby food and drinks.
• Google Tests Blue Website Button For Knowledge Panels
  Google is testing replacing the low key website / URL button in the knowledge panels within Google Search, with a large blue button. I mean, this blue button makes it was more clickable, a much larger and more visible call to action, than the normal button you see in Knowledge Panels.
• Google London Cherry Blossom Tree
  Google had a Cherry Blossom Google Doodle and animation thing going on its home page on Monday. Well, Google London also had its Cherry Blossom tree fully blossomed in front of the Google office there.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Google Ads Mobile App Update! Slow but they are updating it. The Change History feature is now available! Track all campaign modifications on the go - no desktop needed when you are out., Govind Singh Panwar on X
• I've been using Brand Exclusions in Pmax regularly. First time seeing the option to still allow Shopping ads to show for the brand, which doesn't make sense to me. Why would you want branded shopping in the mix if you are e, David Kyle on X
• Ecommerce SEO: this has to be one of the most interesting setups I've seen for ranking within organic product grids, but is likely pushing the boundaries of Google's guidelines. Within some eCommerce segments, some of the highest, Brodie Clark on X
• I analyzed 325,522 local search results for high-intent keywords across 32 home service business industries to assess AI Overview presence. Key Findings: 7.02% of search results included an AI Overview. Top 10 Indust, Dmytro On X
• If you thought Google’s Reddit problem was bad before, the March 2025 core update is making it much worse. Reddit’s organic page count has gone up by about 26% since the update began on March 13, according to Ahrefs data. Enjoy, Goog Enough on X
• people love MCP and we are excited to add support across our products. available today in the agents SDK and support for chatgpt desktop app + responses api coming soon!, Sam Altman on X
• We are introducing answer modes in Perplexity to make the core search product even better for verticals: travel, shopping, places, images, videos, jobs. The next step is to get super precise that you don't have to press on these ta, Aravind Srinivas on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Book your SMX Advanced pass by Saturday to save big!
• Maximize Conversion Value: Google Ads bidding explained
• How to build a better, smarter, more discoverable site architecture
• Why SEO fundamentals are 10x more important now

Other Great Search Stories:

Industry & Business

• Apple blocked from presenting at Google antitrust hearing where $20 billion search deal is at stake, The Verge
• Apple not allowed to intervene in April Google antitrust hearing, AppleInsider
• Googlers Grilled Leaders About Smaller Pay Bumps in a Recent All-Hands, Business Insider
• Microsoft Abandons More Data Center Projects, TD Cowen Says, Bloomberg
• Understanding the Salary Disparity for SEOs in the US and UK, SEOjobs

Links & Content Marketing

• Buying Links in 2025? The Uncensored Guide by SEOs for SEOs, Search Engine World

Local & Maps

• Gemini could soon replace Google Assistant in Android Auto 14.0, Android Central
• Google Maps might predict more than just the traffic for you soon, Android Central
• Waze is dropping Google Assistant on iPhone after leaving it broken for ‘over a year’, The Verge

Mobile & Voice

• Exclusive: Google will develop the Android OS fully in private, here's why, Android Authority
• How Apple's delayed “smarter Siri” reveals the hollow hype that is AI, PhoneArena
• Siri needs its iCloud moment: A complete rebrand, BGR
• This dumb Gemini limitation makes me want to switch back to Google Assistant, Android Authority

SEO

• AI Makes Up 0.1% of Traffic, but Clicks Aren’t Everything, Ahrefs
• Ensure Organic Shopping Traffic Is Counted in SEO Reporting, seoClarity
• Every Company is an SEO Company, SEO
• Google Search Console for keyword research, Wix SEO Hub
• How to Identify Entities on Your Website Using Schema Markup, Schema App
• SEO for AI Search Engines: A Guide for Executive Discussions, seoClarity
• SEO in the Age of AI: Expert Insights from Kevin Indig [+ Video], G2
• SEO KPIs in 2025: What Really Matters in the Age of AI, WordLift Blog

PPC

• Demand Gen Conversion Columns Live in Google Ads, PPC News Feed
• Finding Opportunity in Home Improvement Marketplaces, JumpFly
• Is Google Partner Status Worth It?, Jyll Saskin Gales
• PPC for SaaS: 6 Essential Strategies for 2025, WordStream
• Updates to Gambling and games policy in Texas and New Mexico (March 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help

Search Features

• AIO frequency rises sharply. Featured Snippets dropping in UK., SISTRIX
• Gemini with Personalization: Google takes another step towards Jarvis by tapping into your Search history for Chatbot answers. And just wait until AI Mode gets involved., GSQI
• Google adds better PWA visibility and navigational linking to Chrome, Coywolf
• Google is Personalizing AI Overviews to Your Location, SEO Savvy Agent
• Google Shopping shares top trends for Spring 2025, Google Blog

Other Search

• Microsoft adds AI-powered deep research tools to Copilot, TechCrunch
• Putting Gemini 2.5 Pro through its paces, Simon Willison

Feedback:

Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.